During a cold-running phase of an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is not yet at operating temperature, so that to ensure combustion of a fuel/air mixture in the internal combustion engine, a rich combustion is intentionally provided, i.e., a combustion having a super stoichiometric fuel fraction. If a discrete-level sensor is used as the exhaust gas sensor (e.g., a lambda sensor), which can only detect the presence of a rich combustion or the presence of a lean combustion, i.e., a combustion having sub stoichiometric fuel fraction, the intentionally super stoichiometric fuel supply cannot be regulated via an exhaust gas regulation. Therefore, a lambda regulation of the fuel supply is deactivated during the cold-running phase. There is a need for allowing reliable and efficient fuel supply during the cold-running phase of an internal combustion engine.
In view of the foregoing, it is at least one object to specify measures which allow reliable and efficient fuel supply during the cold-running phase of an internal combustion engine. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.